Of Wings and Fire
by BrandNewEyes17
Summary: READ FIRST This is a story I made up, it doesn't have much to do with Supernatural itself, I mean it sorta but not really. Its OC and AU. I'm writing this for my friends. Taking place 10 years into the future, Hell has taken over destroying most of the world, present Amber stumbles into it to find out what exactly has happened in the last 10 years only to meet her future self.
1. Back to the Future

I woke up unaware to where I was, sitting up and looking around I noticed something right off the bat; I was in a fancy neighborhood, similar to which rich people live in-the big houses with the pretty green lawns, the stereotypical preppy looking class who did their best to keep riff-raft out, the whole deal there.  
'Did it work?' I thought feeling a tad excited.  
Looking around for any sort of clue as to exactly what was going on and as to who I would meet as a future figure I couldn't take it anymore I proceeded to get up and stood around taking it in.  
"Hmm...I wonder if it's any different then I was here last time" I thought to myself aloud, "If so I wonder if-"  
My thinking aloud was quickly interrupted by somebody suddenly tackling me to the ground. "What the Hell?!" I yelled as I was quickly landing face first in grass. 'Don't tell me I was followed...Shit or worst, being mugged somehow!' Panicking thoughts started racing through my head and I could feel my body start to break out in a nervous sweat. 'Shit shit shit' I thought trying to figure out what to do. The person on top of me was heavy and strong and I started to wonder what the chances were of a fair fight if it happened to be a thug when suddenly I heard a voice so familiar I nearly felt my heart stop I was so surprised. "What the Hell are you doing here?! Are you TRYING to get us all killed?!" Adding a bit of pressure to my back when the second sentence was said didn't help my unsteady breathing at the moment.  
"I-I wa-" I wheezed and stammered for a response. "Well?!" The voice snapped clearly getting pissed I wasn't answering. Duh. I wasn't able to do so at the moment!  
"I-I just wanted some sort of-Some time away from the past!" I forced out gasping for air.  
"What? That doesn't make sense!" The voice said confused. I banged my fists on the ground getting frustrated and starting to black out from lack of oxygen. "Can't..breath!" I squeaked. Frustrated the owner of the voice got off me leaving me to lay on the ground gasping for breath. "Oh come on, it wasn't that bad." The voice owner said with a bit of mockery in her tone. Still taking in deep breaths, I held my hand out to only be picked up off the ground and staring into the eyes of none other than myself in 10 years from now.  
"YOU didn't have somebody laying all over you in the wrong places crushing you!" I snapped back. "Future me" started to smile but quickly stopped herself. "What are you doing here?" "My" voice lowered and "I" looked at me with a suspicious look. (Man this is weird to write)  
I (my present self) looked back at my future self-trying to determine what exactly to get out of this considering this wasn't what I was expecting as soon as I had arrived.  
"Um..I sorta just wanted to pay a visit I guess." I said sheepishly. Ok. So maybe it was kind of a lie but at this point it was better than telling the truth.  
"Future me" continued to look at present me suspiciously, trying to search if I was lying to her. I kept a calm poker face trying not to give anything away.  
"You're sure that is the reason?" "Future me" asked her tone practically oozing suspicion.  
"I'm sure." I replied and prayed she'd take it and move on to something, anything else.  
For a moment of silence "future me" continued to look at me for a moment longer, probably still searching for last minute confessions. I stood completely still hoping for no slip ups. After another moment, "Future me" seemed to relax and let it go. "Ok," she said "I trust you...or me...whatever. But if anybody asks, you better go with the excuse that we're close cousins and better hope it's believed."  
I swallowed a bit and nodded at the warning starting to feel nervous. 'What was going on here? She didn't give me this warning the last time I was here, what was up with the sudden warning now?'  
"Come on, I'm-well now we, are expected to be somewhere and NOW." "Future me" said starting to walk quickly ahead.  
I quickly followed trying hard to keep up and slightly cursing myself that I was such a fast walker.  
"Wait where are you-We going?" I asked as I walked in long strides and tried to get a good look at my future self. "Tara's. Got something for her." "I" replied without stopping or turning. "Something that could be extremely important..." "I" mumbled at the second half of the sentence.  
'Wait huh? What am I missing here?' I wondered to myself.  
From the back I looked good, I noticed that I had gotten a little paler and more slim with a nice figure, longish dark brown hair down past the shoulders and curly, but in a nice wavy like way, not the usual frizzball I usually had, decked out in a stripped dark grey and black tank top, dark blue skinny jeans, black vans, and an army green messenger bag around my waist. If I was 10 years older, and I wasn't "me" walking in back of my future self I'd date me. (As confusing as that might sound)  
I shook my head and focused on the important thing at the moment and hurried along until I was in step with myself. "Wait what did you mean by that last sentence? How it might be something important? What's going on with Tara? And why where you all crazed out when you first met up with me? I mean tackling somebody isn't the most friendliest hello ya know." I said a little irritated at the memory. "Future me" sighed and kept walking, for a minute I didn't think she was going to answer but she said; "You-me-whatever, ask a lot of questions."  
This took me back a little. Ok that wasn't a weird answer at all.  
"Yeah I do and I also expect a lot of answers." I fired back.  
"Future me" slowed pace a little bit and smiled a little. "I guess some things like sarcasm never fade now do they?" "I" asked.  
I smiled triumphed and agreed. "Will you please tell me what the Hell I'm missing." I asked again impatiently.  
"Future me" sighed and started walking again.  
I followed getting more annoyed by the minute "Hello? Will you please tell me?" I asked walking after her-me.  
"I'll tell you when we get to Tara's house, it's not exactly safe to mention it out and about here." "I" said walking into a driveway.  
"Not safe? How not? Why?" I asked following along.  
"You'll see." "I" responded ringing a bell.  
"I'll see what?" I snapped irritated at the lack of unanswered questions.  
"Future me" didn't respond but instead just waited bouncing up and down a little bit nervously arms crossed. I knew that sign, it always happened when I was nervous or anxious about something, I always crossed my arms and fidgeted with something, my hands, hair, etc. Something was seriously up.  
"Seriously wha-" I started to say but was cut off by the opening of the front door, looking over to the cause of the door suddenly opening and saw the shock of the moment.  
Standing in the doorway was an older looking version of Tara; her hair darker and tied up in a bun, her bangs swept to the side, her face fuller, her eyes a bit brighter, seemingly taller, and the most surprisingly of it all, she had a diamond ring on her ring finger.  
'Am I seriously missing out on something here? Is Tara..engaged?' I wondered to myself.  
"Hey I got the stuff you needed." "I" said hugging future Tara.  
"Thanks, I really appreciate what you're doing." Tara said hugging "me" back and quickly glancing at me.  
I looked away and tried not to make any eye contact remembering what "future me" had said earlier.  
"Who's this?" Tara asked suspiciously-probably noting how much I and myself 10 years older looked alike.  
I glanced over at her and saw her staring back at me with the same look of suspicion as her tone was just a moment ago.  
'Oh crap..' I thought starting to panic.  
"Future me" must have noticed this because a moment later she came to my rescue by saying "She's a relative. I met up with her on the way here and wanted to bring her along. I hope that's alright with you?"  
I looked over at Tara who was still looking at me oddly and I nodded my head at her in a way to tell her that it was true, hoping she would leave it at that.  
"Your sure?" Tara asked still looking at me with suspicion in her eyes.  
"I'm sure." "Future me" said assuringly .  
Tara looked at me a moment more before looking away and saying "Ok. Come in."

Stepping inside Tara's house was something I don't think I would have expected in a million years if I hadn't just seen actual proof right here, right now. For one thing, it looked like a total normal house. So clean, and well organized but with a hint of Tara style to it, and if it weren't for a few things that stood out, I don't think I would have expected it to actually be her house, it was just so...Apple pie looking. Another thing is that there were pictures of her and a man which I assumed might have been her fiancé, but something about him looked so...Familiar. Not the fact that he was a total Daryl Dixon look alike hottie but something about him made me feel like I knew him from somewhere...  
My thoughts were interrupted when Tara spoke to me; "Make yourself comfortable, any friends or relatives of Amber is one to me."  
I looked over from where I was standing, feeling myself blush a little at embarrassment from just ogling at her personal belongings but nodded anyway.  
Tara nodded back at me before going to "future me" and whispered something to her-me.  
Noticing this I started to feel my paranoia kick up a bit. 'What is going on here? Is somebody after us? Is something wrong with Tara?' I started thinking frantically.  
From where they were standing, I saw "future me" hand Tara something covered in a white plastic bag and I instantly I felt confused but at the same time, my heart started racing and I started to get an idea at what might be going on here.  
'Oh my God...' I thought feeling my heart racing and my palms get sweaty. If this is what I was starting to think it was, then oh my God.  
From where Tara and "future me" we're standing, I saw Tara nod quickly and went off to another room with the white plastic bag in hand, "future me" standing in the same spot looking after Tara.  
"What's going on with Tara?" I asked nervously from where I was standing.  
"Future me" snapped back into reality and looked over at me, looking a bit surprised at my presence.  
"You still haven't answered any of my questions..." I said suddenly feeling awkward.  
"Future me" looked back in the direction from where Tara went, back towards me, back in the other direction, and then at me again.  
I stood and waited, my paranoia rising and falling, just like my chest due to my heavy breathing at the moment. God damn disorder...  
After what seemed like I couldn't take it anymore and was about to explode, "future me" finally spoke up; "There's nothing wrong with Tara, you have nothing to worry about."  
I felt myself breathe a sigh of relief at that fact.  
"Then what was in that white bag?" I asked suspiciously.  
"Future me" looked away for a moment and blushed.  
I stood in front of her waiting for her to say more, I guess she noticed it because she quickly continued.  
"Tara might be...Um...Well she has symptoms of being pregnant. So she asked me if I could get her some tests."  
My eyes grew the size of saucers and my heart started to pound. "Really?" I asked half shocked half a bit excited.  
"Yeah." "Future me" said smiling a bit as well. "I wonder if Derrick knows yet."  
All at once I felt like everything in the room had stopped and my breathing became fast. "I'm sorry but did you say Derrick?" I asked.  
"Future me" looked a bit confused at my question but answered "Yeah. They've been married for some time now, but it's great that they might be starting a family."  
Still in shock I couldn't help but ask "When did this happen?"  
"Future me" looked back at me, now seemingly to be in shock as well and I realized how rude that may have sounded.  
"Sorry" I said embarrassed by my sudden outburst, "it's just that when they were younger, they never seemed like they would be married. I mean Tara had never shown much interest in him, I'm wondering, what changed all of that?"  
"Future me" looked back at me frowning a bit and eyes hardening, explaining; "What changed all of that is they became hunting partners. When the war broke out between Heaven and Hell, a lot of things went to shit. The gates of Hell were opened and many evil Demons had escaped. Monsters too. It was like the rising of Sam Hane but 10 times worst and this being everyday not just one night of the year every how many years. A lot of people were killed in these events. Some people we know, or knew I'll say."  
Again my eyes widened to the size of saucers and I couldn't help but ask; "How did this happen? Who did it kill?"  
"Future me" looked away so I wouldn't notice the forming tears, and spoke with a hard cold voice; "Somebody messed up. Made a deal with a powerful crossroad demon. Unleashed the gates of Hell. Hell nobody even knew about it until the strange news reports came in, even then most people thought it was just a hoax, the media trying to scare us." At this "future me" chuckled.  
"What were the news reports?" I asked leaning in.  
"Future me" shrugged. "Reports of people being attacked in "weird" ways. People being killed mysteriously or vanishing without a trace. After a while there were reports of even "the dead coming back to feast on the living". That sort of crap. It didn't take long before a state of emergency happened and every hunter known stepped in. It was the only thing to keep people safe because, they didn't know about any of this, Hell if I were anybody else I'd find this crazy as well."  
"But how did Tara and Derrick team up?" I asked feeling dizzy by what I was hearing.  
"Future me" chuckled at my growing curiosity before continuing; "After a while the government had taken a notice in us. To them we were trained soldiers ready for combat and could handle things that no other solider could. They hired us as part of a team. To them, this was a war and we were the soldiers that could get in and out to defeat these things. They put us in groups or teams and told us where to go and what to do. In return they would give us a safe shelter, food, and protection. A utopia if you preferred to call it."

I pulled my gaze away and stared at my shoes feeling like the world itself was falling away from me-I couldn't believe any of this to be true but deep down a part of me knew it was true.  
"We have become part of something...something sinister. We have become part of the war that has consumed of wings and fire." "Future me" said looking out into something that was far, far away.  
I snapped my attention at "myself" suddenly breaking out in goose bumps at the statement and as much as I didn't want to ask this, I knew I had to; "Wha...What did you just say...?" I asked in a quiet shaky voice. "I-we've heard that before."  
"Future me" continued to stare out into space for about thirty seconds longer before looking at me with wide eyes.  
We both knew.  
"Future me" opened her mouth ready to say something when Tara came back into the room with a derogatory look on her face.  
Noticing this we both simultaneously snapped out of the deep, and slightly disturbing conversation we were about to have, happy to be putting it off for a little longer and turned our attention to Tara expectedly.  
Tara must have noticed this because she opened her mouth to say something but said nothing, just stood there in the middle of the room with her mouth hanging open.  
"Future me" and, well present me, stood on the other side of the room waiting on Tara but after a minute or two had passed and she still hadn't said anything "Future me" spoke up; "Well? What's the prognosis?"  
Tara closed her mouth and opened it again, speaking the words that seemed to set a whole new mood to the atmosphere: "Positive. All three of em. I'm...pregnant I guess. Holy shit man, I'm having a baby."  
At the last sentence Tara looked away, seeming to get lost in her own thoughts, leaving me and "Future me" to let the news of what we just heard to settle in.


	2. Miracles

For the first few moments, none of us said anything, we just stood there in Tara's living room standing awkwardly among each other not saying anything, the news Tara just revealed still sinking in.  
So far, seems like things had been getting weirder and weirder; first Tara and Derrick were married husband and wife not to mention having a kid, and another was that the world had practically went to shit and hunters were the next military.  
Seriously what had I missed in the last 10 years?

"Future me" and Tara exchanged a glance and suddenly a smile broke out between them and before I had a chance to know for sure what was going on, they both started laughing.  
'Wait what?' I thought feeling confused as I gazed back and forth between them.  
"Future me" started walking over to Tara, still laughing the entire way.  
I suddenly felt like an outsider when Tara and "Future me" started hugging each other, laughing the whole time like the whole thing was hilarious.  
"I-I can't believe this." "Future me" said wiping tears away, starting to laugh less.  
"I know. Wait until Derrick finds out. Hell I don't even know how to tell him." Tara said chuckling a little but seemed to have a nervous tone to her voice.  
"Future me" stopped laughing and looked directly at Tara in front of her starting to smile before saying; "He's going to be so excited Tara, there's no need to be nervous about anything."  
Tara snorted, looking to the ground being quiet for a minute.  
From where I was standing, I could notice the anxious, almost scared vibe coming off her and I immediately wondered why she was so afraid all of a sudden.  
"I just wish all of this shit wasn't going on around us in the world. Imagine, having a baby in this. What if something were to happen?" Tara asked looking back at "Future me" with fear frozen in her eyes.  
I felt my heart drop from hearing this. Due to what "Future me" had just told me, I couldn't blame Tara for being afraid of what could go wrong-if I were in her place I would too.  
"Future me" looked over at me just as I looked over to where her and Tara were standing, as our eyes met, we shared a knowing look. Again I felt my heart squeeze inside my chest.  
"Future me" continued to look over at me for a moment longer before pulling her gaze away from me to look back at Tara.  
"Tara you and I both know that Derrick loves you more than anything else in this world. That man would go to Hell and back and there isn't anything he wouldn't do to protect you and that baby." "Future me" seemed to put emphasis on the last sentence as if she were trying to be strong for the both of them.  
Tara looked back at "Future me" nodding like a bobble head doll trying to make herself believe it all.  
"Future me" looked back at me for a few seconds before gazing back at Tara who looked back at "Future me" before hugging "me" tightly. "Future me" hugged back, looking into the distance trying not to cry.  
I stood there still feeling awkward, but also feeling a new feeling...It was almost...an empty feeling. Like something was there but it disappeared...I wasn't sure exactly what it was but it deeply saddened me...

It didn't take much longer after that until Derrick came home. I had been sitting with "Future me" in the living room making small talk while Tara had been making trips to and from the bathroom.  
Since right after she found out she was pregnant she expressed that she had felt like she was going to retch. I had thought it was due to impending morning sickness but "Future me" had insisted it was nerves. When we heard a car door open and close in the doorway, Tara bolted from the living room to the bathroom slamming the door behind her. "Future me" looked over at me smirking slightly mouthing the words "I told you so" before getting up to stand in front of the door.  
"What are you doing?" I asked confused.  
"Might as well prepare him for what's about to come." "Future me" said crossing her arms and standing stone still.  
"Huh?" I asked scrunching my face as if I was just sucking on a lemon.  
"I'm sure if you were to come home to find your wife stuck in the bathroom, chucking up chunks into a toilet before telling you she was pregnant and scared shitless about the subject I'm sure you'd want a little heads up too." "Future me" said keeping her eyes on the door in front of her with a neutral expression on her face.  
I felt myself lean back in the couch a bit taken back at the response. 'WELL THEN.' I thought to myself trying not to smile from being slightly amused at the sassy remark.

"Future me" didn't seem any bit out if place when Derrick had come through the door, stopping dead in his tracks when he saw her; she continued to stand still with her arms crossed.  
From the side, Derrick looked like a Daryl Dixon HOTTIE look alike, maybe it was just my imagination but for the time being, I felt myself ogling over him believing Tara was the luckiest girl in the world because of this for more than one reason.  
"Hey..." He said taking her in just standing there. He seemed nervous to about this, like something had happened and "Future me" was there to break the life stopping bad news to him.  
"Hey." "Future me" said as calm as a cucumber.  
"What's going on?" Derrick asked slowly walking in front of "me". Even from where I was sitting I could tell he was nervous.  
"Well I thought I should prepare you for what your about to face." "Future me" said chuckling slightly.  
Derrick took a step back looking at the ground momentarily then back at "Future me" with a look of preparation on his face. "What is it?" He asked trying to appear nonchalant.  
"Future me" took a breath before saying; "Tara's in the bathroom. She's got news for you."  
From the couch I could see Derrick relax a little from hearing this.  
"Why is she in the bathroom?" Derrick asked looking in the direction of what must have been where the bathroom was.  
"She's...Nervous about the news." "Future me" said turning with Derrick in the direction, "Shes not sure how to take it."  
Derrick narrowed his eyes confused by this. "Is she ok?" He asked starting to tense up again.  
"Yeah she's alright. Best to go check on her, see how's she's doing." "Future me" said turning back to face Derrick with a set pose.  
Derrick looked at "Future me" and back in the other direction again nodding, "Alright." He said walking off.  
"Future me" followed him, turning almost completely around as she watched him disappear into the hallway of what must have been where the bathroom was.  
We stayed quiet as we heard knocking on the door then ten seconds later, it open and close.  
"Future me" let out a sigh.  
I stayed out on the couch looking over at her-me, noticing right off the bat how stressed she-"I" had looked. All I could do was sit there and try to figure out what to say or do coming up with nothing in the process.  
My thoughts were interrupted when "Future me" came over and plopped down on the couch causing me to jump a little.  
I didn't know what to say, I felt myself to much in shock momentarily, although luckily "Future me" broke the silence saying "This must be a major surprise to you...me. All of this."  
I shot my head up to look at "me" and found it best to act surprised by what I just heard. "What are you talking about?" I asked trying to be nonchalant.  
"Future me" looked at me eyes narrowed, seeming to look right through me. "You know what I mean." "I" said with enough force to know not to try to play dumb.  
I looked away and nodded feeling embarrassed by my being caught.  
"Future me" sighed again leaning back on the couch.  
I looked over to where "I" was sitting taking in the sight of myself, "I" looked worn and stressed. Surely all of this Hell had taken its toll if not physically, mentally.  
Again I felt myself unaware of what to say but I felt my mind flooded with what I felt I needed ask; "Has the world itself gone to shit? The whole world?"  
"Future me" looked over at me as if an elephant had appeared in the room with us. I looked back at her waiting on an answer not giving up easily this time.  
"Future me" continued to look at me a few more moments before shaking her head and looking away.  
I felt my annoyance start flaring into anger at this and I was no longer about go on getting little to no answers-I needed to know what the Hell what was going on so I knew what to expect and I needed to know NOW. "No, I asked a question and I want an answer, I want an answer to all of this. So tell me, what the Hell happened?!" I snapped letting my anger show.  
"Future me" looked back at me with a hard expression on her face. "You really want to know? You want to know every single last detail how the world went to shit, yes the whole world itself, what happened while the world was going to shit, what people like me, Tara, and other hunters had to see during all of this? Sure, I'll tell you. I'll tell you everything, if you want I'll even take you to what's outside the walls of this little fake shit box that we're all forced to live in to be safe, ya know so we don't have to fear every second of the day for our lives, so we can sleep without having to keep one eye open. Sure, I'll tell you everything."  
"Future me" snapped at me with a hard edge in her voice.  
I looked back at her a bit taken back at the sudden outburst and something inside me told me that it wasn't the best to bring up.  
"Future me" looked back at me eyes flaring daring me to say more, of course I did. "I just wanted to know what happened all these years." I said quietly.  
"Future me" looked away eyes still hard. "You wanted to know so I'll tell you."  
At this point I didn't want to know if it was a big upsetting topic but before I could tell "myself" that I didn't want to hear it "I" started to speak; "To answer your first question, yes the whole world itself has gone to shit. I told you how it came to be and what led up to it. People thought it was just a hoax at first with the news castings but when the government got involved people started to believe that it wasn't just the media screwing around with them. That's when the Hell started breaking out. People started to panic, some stocked up on food and supplies, some packed up and left during the middle of the night their friends and family discovering them gone by the time morning came, in other cases people went insane-they would stand in the middle of the street preaching about the "end of the world". Despite all the madness that was starting to brew, little did humans know it was only the beginning of what would be in store of the ultimate vision of Hell." "Future me" stared off into the distance, all I could actually do was sit there barley able to speak, but being fully able to think "oh shit" over and over in my head. I had to almost force the words out of my mouth "How did everything go to Hell?" I asked half afraid of the answer.  
"Everything went to Hell when Hell's creatures made their way into major cities. Everything, and I mean everything you had ever heard of that came from the origin of Hell had made its way to earth. This was their playground for destruction. When the first state of emergency was declared, everything fell from there. People fled from their homes to try to make it to camps that were being set up in the countryside, mass homicides and suicides were popping up everywhere, sometimes if luck wasn't on your side you'd be one to discover a successful suicide with your own eyes. Hell I remember once I drove into the city looking for survivors to bring back to one of the camps and I found somebody who had hanged themselves on a light pole. The note attracted to their jacket they were wearing said "World gone to shit. Might as well check out now." I guess most people just couldn't handle what was going on at the time. As for the hunters, we were taken in by the government to train to be soldiers because we were the only ones who knew what to do in a situation like this.  
In return we would have automatic access to being inside the walls-this house, the whole city even, is inside the walls of what the government has built to keep us safe. There are more places like this. Nobody wants to see what's on the outside of these walls. There are people who even live outside these walls if you could imagine." "Future me" finished with a faraway look on her face. I know I shouldn't have asked this after what she told me but I wanted to know; "Earlier you said you would take me to see the outside of the walls...Were you serious? Because...Because I want to see."  
"Future me" lost the faraway look to look at me with an expression that said "are you serious?"  
I noticed the look right away and nodded "I want to see for myself. Please..." I quietly begged.  
"Future me" looked away and sighed again shaking her head thinking to herself. I looked back eyes pleading.  
"You're not going to like what you will see." "Future me" said without making eye contact.  
I leaned forward to try to make firm eye contact. "I can handle it. I promise." I said sternly.  
"Future me" sighed again and shook her head. "Fine" she said "but if I detect any signs of you not being able to handle it, we're leaving. Deal?"  
With the way she looked at me I knew that she was dead serious with no exceptions, it was a take it or leave it bet.  
"Deal." I said firmly to show I was just as serious.  
"Future me" nodded and suddenly turned in the direction behind her causing me to turn with her only to see Tara and Derrick coming back into the room with us.  
Beside me "Future me" sat up straight and I focused my full attention to the couple feeling panicked as soon as I did.  
From beside Tara, Derrick was looking directly at me his blue eyes showing a lot of recognition. 'Crap...' I thought to myself.  
Beside me I quickly nudged "Future me" letting her know that Derrick was suspicious although she didn't take any notice in it and if she did, she kept it well hidden. I started praying that it was the second one.  
"So...Did you tell Derrick the news?" "Future me" asked trying to sound cheerful after the depressing topic we just discussed.  
From in front of us, Tara nodded taking a deep breath causing Derrick to take his eyes away from me to put an arm around Tara and pull her close to him.  
'The future has really done him well...' I thought in my head.  
"And this news is what made my day go from complete shit to amazing." Derrick stated looking Tara in the eye with a smile, making her look less nervous and smile back. "I love you." She said quietly leaning in to kiss him. "I love you too." Derrick said kissing her back.  
I felt myself smile and beside me I quick glanced at "Future me" to see her smiling as well.  
"I still can't believe you two are having a baby." "Future me" chuckled a little.  
Tara and Derrick departed enough to look over at us again, Derrick continued to stare at me with the same suspicious look in his face as soon as he looked at me.  
'Crap...' I thought again feeling my face now start to go red.  
"I can't believe it either...It will be a blessing and surely a break from all what's going on in the world currently." Tara was looking down rubbing her stomach now.  
"Future me" chuckled, Derrick narrowed his eyes at me.  
'Crap crap crap!' I thought now nudging "Future me" again harder this time.  
"You seem very familiar. Have we met before?" Derrick asked me eyes still narrowed, probably detecting my nervous behavior.  
"Um...I.." I stammered my face boiling.  
"She's with me Derrick, we're close cousins and I ran into her on the way here so I thought to just bring her with me." "Future me" said quickly saving me.  
Derrick pulled his gaze away from me to look at "Future me" surprised at the explanation almost.  
"I thought it would be nice for some of my family to meet my friends and fellow partners ya know?" "I" said talking quickly, something that I did when told a lie and felt panicked.  
Derrick looked back at me quickly with a suspicious look before turning back to "Future me", "Future me" responded to this by nodding. Derrick looked over at Tara who shrugged and said "I believe it."  
Derrick looked back over at me again but this time keeping an eye on me for a few seconds longer then my current comfort zone before before nodding approval. "Alright." He said.  
I let out a sigh of relief I didn't even know I was holding in.  
We all stood in the room among each other not saying anything, just taking in the news of what we hopped would bring a miracle. 


	3. Introductions Part 1

"Where are we going?" I asked "Future me" for what have to have been the fifth time.  
We stayed a little longer after Derrick and Tara joined us in the living room, with Derrick having to prepare dinner while Tara went upstairs due to the smell making her nauseated, even after dinner was done she barley could stay in the dining room long periods of time without having to leave the room.  
Dinner itself was cooked salmon with dried elk meat on the side-a favorite for Tara and Derrick but an iffy kind of meal for "Future me" and myself. While we politely turned down actually eating dinner, we still stayed. Looking back on it, I thought we probably should have held our breaths and eaten the salmon and elk meat because I don't know about my "Future self" but I was starved.  
"Not far from Derrick and Tara's house." "Future me" said keeping her eyes on the road.  
I sighed and flopped back in the passenger seat of the 2011 dark blue two door jeep wrangler "Future me" drove. Back home in present day this would be considered still fairly new but ten years into the future making the date October 16th 2023, this car would for sure be considered "vintage". Funny, I did ask for a jeep for graduation.  
I looked out the window trying to take my current attention away from my hunger and took in the view of the passing neighborhoods; surely enough there were Halloween decorations up and around the lawns of the big high class houses that consisted of these neighborhoods, and people were making their way into their homes ready for dinner, whatever show was popular currently, and living life as normally as anybody could during these times, which I'm sure wasn't always easy.  
"I know it's not how it used to be but, we all find our own ways to make this place seem like home." "Future me" broke me from my thoughts.  
I looked over only to see "Future me" still looking out on the road but turned to look at me for a moment before quickly shifting eyes back onto the road again.  
I nodded but realized she couldn't see it so I opened to my mouth to say something but couldn't find words, all I could do was clear my throat and mutter quietly"yeah."  
From the corner of my eye I saw "Future me" look at me again having a look almost like sympathy before turning away again but not before turning on the radio. Instantly, "Carryon my wayward son" by Kansas came on instantly setting a mood that was almost impossible to explain but just knew it was there by the memories it held from the past.

It was only halfway into the song when we pulled into a house that was no different for the other houses-fancy, and I assumed this is where "I" had lived but then noticed the silver ford pickup truck in one of the driveway spaces and I immediately felt confused but knew that I was in for yet another "surprise".  
"Future me" slowly leaned over to turn off the ignition, cutting off Kansas mid-sentence.  
I stayed focused on the truck trying to figure out who it may belong too.  
"Future me" must have noticed me gawking at the truck because I heard her curse under her breath. "Shit...I was hoping I wouldn't have to do this as soon as I got home."  
I turned to face her a bit taken back at hearing this, suddenly feeling a little edgy. "Why? Whose truck is that?" I asked trying to not sound panicked but slightly failing.  
"Future me" didn't respond but shook her head and sighed. "Christ sakes...Lord you going to give me a break here any time soon?" Is all I got.  
Didn't exactly help with the nervous feeling that was now rising.  
"Amber," it felt so weird saying my name "who owns that truck?" I asked again more sternly trying to get an actual answer.  
"You'll find out in about a minute." "Future me" said unbuckling her seatbelt and opening the driver side of the door to get out.  
I just sat for a minute shaking my head and sighing frustratingly, "Jesus some things never change." I mumbled to myself as I unbuckled my belt and got out to follow my "Future self" to the front door.  
Fumbling with the keys "Future me" spoke in a somewhat hushed tone "Now don't say anything, and I mean anything at all to who you're about to meet until I've explained everything that I feel is important, got it?"  
I made a face that slightly said "wait what?"  
"Just trust me on this alright?" "Future me" said reading my face before opening the door and stepping into a warm house that smelled of autumn candles that were sold at the Yankee candle shop.  
"Ok..." I said reluctantly stepping into the warm candle house taking in my newest surroundings.  
Glancing around the house taking first views I noticed that I had gone through with what I had always wanted when I was younger when it came to decorating my house. I had wanted to have a lot of different decorations, making sure whoever came in would always have something to look at and at this point it seemed to have succeeded, despite the tannish walls in what looked to be the living room, and even those gave a warm, safe effect to whoever were to step in, the room included a lot of weird sculptors around the room, seriously almost everywhere you looked there was a weird little decorative thing. Pictures, pictures of photography that was inevitably self-taken, but some looked like they had to be bought from a thrift shop, whereas some looked happy and cheerful with bit of humor in it, others had an extremely eerie theme to them. Those ones I couldn't look at for long without feeling like darkness itself was crawling into me, slowly tearing me into pieces and swallowing me whole entirely.  
I shivered pulling my gaze away, yet even then I found myself tempted to look back at the pictures, feeling myself looking frantically for a distraction, I set my gaze on a squirrel pillow on the black velvet looking love seat in the far corner of the room next to a reading lamp and table with a pile of books on it.  
'Figures' I thought to myself upon seeing the books.  
"Make yourself at home." "Future me" said making me jump.  
I turned slowly seeing her walking upstairs. "Should I just stay here?" I asked only to be a little surprised by my voice sounding a little hoarse.  
"Yes." "Future me" said sharply without turning around.  
I felt myself be taken back at this. "Ok then." I responded with a slight snap in my tone.  
"Future me" continued up the stairs without another word, leaving me still standing in front of the doorway alone.  
I waited a full ten seconds before deciding to walk into the living room slowly, as if something were going to jump out at me. Although now being in the same room with those creepy pictures, I wouldn't be surprised if something actually did.  
By the time I actually reached the couch, I noticed that the couch was the same soft velvet like material much like the love seat, but instead of having one lone squirrel pillow on it, there were a few white throw pillows along with an ancient looking black and white cat quietly snoring in the middle of the thing.  
'It couldn't be...Could it?' I thought to myself taking small quiet steps towards the couch not wanting to disturb the cat from its slumber.  
"No. It can't be." I said now directly in front of the couch. 'But it might...' A voice inside my head said.  
I looked down at the cat who had not woken up from its nap, and slowly sat down next to it. As if on cue, the cat awoke from its sleep with a slight purr, looking up at me with squinted eyes.  
"Holy shit..." I said noticing its purple collar. "Bailey...it really is you." I said putting a hand on her back, petting her.  
Bailey, who had to now be seventeen, and now a lot grayer, looked up at me giving a small meow.  
"Hey missy miss." I said feeling myself get emotional as I started to pet her. This cat and I went through Hell and back together, before fifth grade when I first got her, through the preteen years in middle school and certainly through the Hellish years in high school, along with an extra ten years of all the newest shit that went on in the world; we had a connection. I was grateful to know at least that Bailey would have an additional ten years to her lifespan.  
Bailey gave another meow as she got up to stretch and walk over to me purring the entire time.  
For some reason, this gave me the utter most comfort making me glad I found her.

Petting her I remained quiet, only hearing Baileys purring and making out slight voices from upstairs, I perked my ears up to try to listen, glad for my good hearing.  
"So wait...I'm confused. How could this even happen?" I could hear a male voice say, the owner if it sounded familiar but I couldn't quite make it out completely.  
"I don't know how it happened, but all I know is it did and if the government finds out, we could all be royally screwed." I could hear "Future me" reply back at the mystery voice, sounding like she was trying not to panic.  
I waited to hear what the mystery voice would say but I could hear nothing.  
"I've already told her some things that I thought she should know, about the world, this government controlled town, etc." "Future me" continued.  
"Did you tell her that if the government found her somehow they'd take you and her to lock you away for testing?" The mystery voice asked.  
At this I felt my eyes widen, my heart stop for a millisecond, and my mouth go dry. 'Testing?' I thought.  
"I thought I'd leave that part out for now." "Future me" responded sounding annoyed.  
'Testing? What kind of testing?' I was now thinking frantically.  
"Alright. I'm sorry I don't mean to add any more stress to this then there should be but I just don't want there to be any unnecessary problems. We've already have enough to deal with." The male voice said.  
"I know Chaz. Believe me this I know." "Future me" sighed.  
'Chaz?!' I felt my eyes get wide enough to pop out of my skull. "What the Hell...?" I asked turning to Bailey, "Seriously this is all just way too freaking weird." I said.  
Bailey just responded with a meow before curling in a ball for another nap.  
I had no problem with Chaz, not at all, I mean we were really good friends back ten years ago, surely things got a little weird, and it was obvious we both liked each other...Really obvious, but despite this we were never together as a couple, especially when he went into the Marines until...possibly now? Oh boy.  
"I can't say this won't be weird meeting...yourself, from the past." Chaz said his voice muffled upstairs.  
"I know, imagine how I felt." "Future me" said laughing nervously.  
"Where is she now?" Chaz asked sounding a bit like he just woke up from a deep sleep and finding out ten years had passed.  
Ha. I knew that feeling.  
"Downstairs. I told her to wait there until I told you what was going on." "Future me" responded.  
'No! No you most certainly did not tell me "Hey, wait downstairs so I can tell Chaz what's going on."' I thought annoyed.  
"Ok...Wow. Um, let's go meet and be friends shall we?" Chaz said starting to walk what probably was to the doorway of whatever room they were in.  
I felt my cheeks start to burn along with my stomach feel a wave of nervous feeling. "Why am I getting nervous? There's absolutely no need to be." I told myself. "No need at all." I kept telling myself that there was no need to be nervous at all, it was only just another friend from the past, that in a way this was completely normal.  
I started to actually feel a little more assured about the whole matter until I heard footsteps coming downstairs. 'Crap crap crap!' I panicked thought as the feeling of throwing up due to anxiety took over. I tried reassuring myself again but at this point my mind was an utter clutter not allowing any clear thoughts come.  
The footsteps coming down the stairs were almost completely downstairs and I willed myself to "be cool" especially in times like these.  
Although I couldn't find any way how to "be cool" currently.  
"Remember, do not mention anything of the government to her, I don't want her panicking." I could hear "Future me" tell Chaz quietly.  
I couldn't hear what Chaz said because I was too busy already panicking feeling my thoughts go wild with what I just heard, 'Testing? What kind of testing? Testing like experimental testing? What will they do to the rest of my friends if they found out?' Tidal waves of nausea went through me and I felt faint. If it wasn't for the fact that "Future me" and Chaz were walking into the room I might have laid on the couch and let unconsciousness take over me.  
"Amber...Um I'd like you to meet somebody." "Future me" slowly walked into the room with Chaz next to her, looking like he was having as much trouble trying to process the information as I was.  
I straighten up a little at hearing this and look over to where "Future me" and...future Chaz are standing. Looking at Chaz for the first time I instantly felt another wave of butterflies and cursed myself for being so starstruck, but at the same time, felt I couldn't help it he looked...Hot. When we were younger or should I say back in the present, I always thought that he sort of resembled Chad Michael Murray from A Cinderella story, but now ten years into the future, I could now say he for sure looked like Chad Michael Murray from A Cinderella Story but with some more muscle...The Marines sure the Hell did him well.  
I started to feel myself ogling over him but stopped myself when I remembered he was still dating that witch. (Speaking literate and non-literate on this one)  
Disappointment washed over me as I had to force myself to not start pouting.  
"Amber?" "Future me" waved her hand in front of my face to get my attention and I noticed I must have spaced out.  
"Yeah?" I asked snapping back into reality feeling myself blush a little at the weird faces I was probably making.  
"I said I'd like you to meet somebody...Obviously you both already know each each other but...Yeah." "Future me" finished the sentence by shaking her as if trying to solve a long complicated math equation.  
Taking my attention way from my confused future self I turned to Chaz only to discover him starting right back at me with the same expression of shock and confusion on his face from earlier.  
I instantly was reminded of memories I somewhat wished to forget due to the saddening knowledge of me and him sharing those moments legitimately were to never happen.  
Another wave of disappointment washed over me.

I forced myself to snap out of my becoming more frequent daydream thoughts and practically forced myself to meet eyes with Chaz without giving myself away by blushing. When meeting Chaz's eyes I noticed right away the he was deep in thought but about what I had no idea. All I knew from looking at him that I felt a longing to continue to look at him, to read him and continue to read him until I had the answers that I wanted.  
Although I knew that wasn't appropriate at the time.

"Hello." Chaz said extending a hand towards me.  
I pulled my gaze away from him to look at his hand, taking a second to hesitate before taking his hand shaking it.  
"Hey...I know this must be really weird for you...it's really weird for me!" I said trying to make the situation slightly lighter.  
"Yeah...It really is weird." Chaz looked away with a nervous expression on his face.  
For a second I wondered what he seemed so nervous about, then I remembered what him and "Future me" were talking about with the government and I felt my blood start to freeze.  
I felt my heart rise and my blood ran cold thinking it.  
I didn't realize I was really making a big deal out of it until everything started going black and the last thing I thought was the cat making room on the couch.


	4. Vivid Dreaming

I had a dream about the death of me and my sister  
Yes me and Skylar.  
It was absolutely the worst thing I have ever came to witness while subconscious.

I was in a room I didn't recognize. It was a large room with a painting of a man who I also didn't recognize but somehow he seemed familiar.  
In front of the painting was a medium sized oak desk with a formal looking chair behind it, it was a chair that looked like it would be something the vampire counsel would own. I remembered it because I immediately thought of Alec when I saw it.  
The room had an empty space in front of the desk but around it had of couches that again looked like they could belong to the vampire counsel.  
The room was brightly lit due to a large window that covered an entire wall to the far left with only a white thin curtain to cover it.  
"Huh." I muttered to myself allowing my curiosity to take place as I slowly let one foot guide me a step closer.  
After taking the one step I stopped and waited by counting to ten, using this little tactic to make sure nobody was going to jump out and try to harm me.  
When nothing happened I let my muscles relax and allowed myself to look around the room.  
Walking over to the desk I opened and closed drawers, not finding anything interesting but just a bunch of papers that seemed uninteresting.  
"Where the Hell...?" I muttered wondering if I was even still in the future.  
I opened up the top middle drawer of the desk only finding more papers and as about to slam the drawer out of frustration but stopped when I noticed there weren't just endless words like the others, this looked like a list.  
I felt my curiosity overwhelm me as I quickly looked around to make sure nobody was around before quickly grabbing the paper and reading it.  
Only what I saw not only confused me but made my heart speed up a little more.  
On the list was a name of people and on the top two were me and Skylars names circled like whoever wrote it was about to make holes into the paper.  
Even though I wasn't entirely sure what that was about I had a very bad feeling about it. Looking at the rest of the names they were people I've never met and their names didn't have circles around them like mine and Skylars.  
I felt myself shudder and dropped the paper back into the drawer and slammed it shut as if it were on fire.  
I looked around the rest of the room trying to take my mind off of the list while looking around I noticed a big painting on the other side of the room. I was surprised I hadn't noticed it before considering it took up half the wall.  
I shook my head and started to walk up to it, taking the picture in little by little.  
Slowly I walked up to it narrowing my eyes as I looked at it. Something about it seemed very familiar even though the picture only revealed a row of five men in uniforms looking directly at whoever must of been painting it at the time. They must have been in the military because of their uniforms, which reminded me of German uniforms from World War 2 with the long black coats that almost reached to their knees with what had numerous badges and medals on their coats. I almost half expected to see a nazi badge on there. All of them were wearing hats with a weird gold symbol badge on it, what the symbol was I wasn't sure.  
Their pants were slick and black and their shoes were looked to be just polished black shoes, no badges or anything out of the ordinary there.  
Although when I looked back up to reexamine their badges and ribbons, I noticed one of them, the one in the center, had a Sergeant Major badge.  
"Huh. So he must be the leader of them." I muttered to myself examining him.  
Next to him, on his right was who have must have been the Lieutenant considering the badge he was wearing. "I guess he must be the right hand man." I said squinting for a closer look at the Lieutenant. "You do seem familiar though."  
I looked for a name badge of some sort trying to figure out who exactly they were, especially the Lieutenant.  
For a moment I stopped looking for a name badge and looked at the mans features of blue slightly grey eyes, medium to dark brown curly hair, and a face that no matter how many times I wished I'd forget, I'd never seemed to be able to.  
"Oh no..." I said feeling the familiar feeling of dread wash over me. "Son of a..."  
I couldn't finish my sentence due to the sound of voices and footsteps coming from what sounded like outside the door.  
Panic arose in me like a deer caught in a head lights as I quickly looked around the room for a place to hide. "Shit!" I whispered yelled to myself as I ran over to the couches over near the window and flung myself on the floor and prayed I wouldn't be seen.  
"Now sir, I'm not saying I'm disagreeing with your idea of action but more of questioning it." A slightly deeper but familiar voice, filled the room along with the opening of a door followed by footsteps.  
'God damn him...' I angrily thought to myself as I heard none other than Elliot's voice fill the room.  
Whoever he was talking with sighed almost frustrated before continuing, "Now Lieutenant, tell me what you have trouble comprehending."  
The voice, whoever it was, while seeming to have a friendly, almost cheerful tone to it, even I couldn't help but notice the hard edge in it.  
Something told me this guy meant nothing but business and when he called Elliot "Lieutenant" it was more out of belittling and mockery rather than respect.  
"Well what I don't understand is why would we have to so quickly build an army when we are in no real danger. We've already taken over most of America, if not the world. Why do you have to rebuild another army and prepare for a battle when we already are still dealing with the effects of what happened last time." Elliot replied almost nervously.  
"Elliot you son of a bitch..." I mouthed feeling my anger flare up like flames as I waited for whoever he was talking to reply to his latest remark, a small part of me hopping he'd punish him.  
But there was nothing but silence.  
For some reason I knew this wasn't going to result well.  
"Lieutenant, let me explain to you something about war." The voice finally said seemingly angry.  
"Sir, I understand what-" Elliot started but was cut off.  
"Silent!" The voice barked.  
Elliot immediately shut up.  
Somehow I knew that this guy wasn't one to be messed with considering Elliot if all people didn't fight back.  
"Now, let me explain something to you about war. War is...War is a very complex thing. Sometimes it solves problems between two very different opinions, and other times it causes so much destruction that one side is forced to surrender and come to terms with the bigger and better. In our case, this is the second of those two options. For years we have been fighting for our individual freedom which was taken from us from the very start. We have had to go by whatever those...Vile wasteful creatures of "God" had wanted for centuries without any say in it and our own kind being looked down upon on for nothing! Now, now we have a chance to free ourselves from this, we can make something of ourselves and if we really wanted, we could make them give up everything, just like we had to! If we really wanted we could have not only that little world of "paradise" they call "Heaven" but we can have this in between human world as well! Everything could be ours!" The voice boomed seemingly to get lost in thought.  
'Shit. This doesn't sound good. This guy seems crazier than Elliot!' I thought eyes widening. 'Whatever this may be and wherever the Hell I am, I have to figure out who the Hell this guy is so when I have the chance, I can tell whoever will be useful.' I thought slowly scotching around the couch to get a sneak peek.  
"Yes, Sir, I understand all of that but don't you think we should wait? Just until the enemy lets their guard down before striking."  
"Why wait Lieutenant?!" The voice asked frustrated. "All we have to do is devise a plan to get at least one of the leaders of that world out of the equation and the rest of that army will be to weak without the main vessel. We'll be able to take them out without hassle. Do you understand?" The voice asked with a cold edge in it, daring Elliot to go against his word.  
"Yes Sir, I understand." Elliot sounded like he was nodding like a bobble head.  
'Dipshit.' I thought annoyed as I slowly turned my head to catch him sitting behind his desk and Elliot standing talk him front of it, both of them in uniforms.  
I felt my stomach drop six feet below.  
"Very good. Now, dismiss yourself, I have a lot of preparations I have to go over before we move forward with our plan and do not let this slip out, if that meddling girl you used to associate yourself with or that traitor you call family find out about this, our whole plan will be ruined. Got it?" The Sergeant from the picture warned.  
"Yes Sir. I won't mention anything Sir." Elliot said standing up a little straight of the mention of "Future me" and Chaz to him.  
"Good. Dismiss." The Sergeant replied without even looking up at Elliot anymore.  
"Yes Sir." Elliot said saluting him and quickly walking out.

It wasn't until the door was completely closed before I heard the noise of a drawer opening and closing. I peeked from behind the couch to find the Sergeant pulling out a piece of paper from the middle of the desk and even before I saw the two circled names on the very top I knew it was the list that I found earlier.  
My mouth went dry as if I had been sucking on chalk.  
"As soon as we take the first one out, the other will be too busy mourning out of the loss of her sister to protect her little army. Soon, we will be in power again. Soon. When we do, I'll have joy taking the younger one out next."

The whole world felt like it had stopped and the room was closing in.  
The last thing I remembered was almost abandoning my cover and head on taking the Sergeant bare hands before I woke up with something heavy on my chest.


	5. Introductions Part 2

I woke up by snapping my eyes open, forcing myself to wake up from that awful dream.  
I felt myself starting to heavily breath, or attempting to but I felt something heavy on my chest, as if something was laying directly on top of me.  
Starting to panic I wondered if I had actually woken up and was not just having another terrifying dream.  
I scanned the room to see where the Hell I was this time and felt myself become relieved when I notice the room was "Future me"'s living room, just lit dimly due to the only light illuminating the room was coming from a the reading lamp next to the chair and table of books in the corner.  
The darkness made creepy looking dark shadows in the corner which didn't help my growing fear of what was laying so heavily on me.  
'Ok. On three I'll jump up and try to get an upper hand at whatever the Hell is laying on me.' I thought to myself.  
I stayed perfectly still, giving it a few minutes to catch whatever it was off guard when I jumped, then started to count in my head.  
'1...'  
'2...'  
'3!'  
With all of my might I forced myself in sitting position sending whatever was up top of me flying off and a thud next to me on the floor.  
Taking a couple of deep breaths I readied myself for whatever the intruder was but was surprised and a little taken back when I heard barking.  
"What the Hell?!" I yelled.  
The barking just continued from the large creature that resembled almost a wolf in front of me.  
"Shhh!" I frantically shushed the barking creature in front of me, realizing it must have been late at night if only the living room lamp was on.  
"Shhh! Be quiet!" I put my finger to my lips trying to calm the huge beast.  
The barking continued and I could now make out what sounded like running upstairs.  
"Shit..." I gave no more attempt to quiet the barking as the dark shadowed fireplace in front of me suddenly was filled with a faint yellow light, exposing a flat screen TV above the fireplace and indicating the beast creature has woken somebody up. Great.  
Footsteps came at full speed down the stairs and I could hear "Future me" scolding the dog and shutting it up in the process.  
"Goober! Quiet down before I put you outside!" "Future me" growled warningly as the dog stopped barking long enough to look up at its master.  
"I mean it. Be quiet." "Future me" warned.  
From where I was sitting I could see the dog stay frozen in one place, looking up behind me to where "Future me" probably was standing, wagging its tail with a look on its face as if it was deciding what to do.  
I noticed the huge beast was an Irish wolfhound dog.  
'Called that...' I thought to myself.  
"Are you going to be a good boy?" "Future me" asked.  
I scrunched up my face and turned to my older self who was standing with her hands on her hips looking to be in nothing but a robe.  
'Oh God...' An awkward feeling of a tidal wave washed over me.  
"What?" I asked sounding really out of it, probably due to the fact of myself in front of me possibly nude under the robe.  
"Future me" didn't respond, the noise of the dog named Goober was making wouldn't allow her to.  
"Leave her be." "Future me" warned.  
The dog gave a low bark and "Future me" gave him a look that dared him to make another move.  
Goober looked at her again wagging his tail and kept his gaze on her before turning to me and then back at her.  
"Future me" crossed her arms.  
Goober made a small whimper and bowed his head before retreating to lay in the middle of the carpet that stood in front of the couch.  
"Good." "Future me" nodded, arms still crossed.  
I looked from the dog to back to "Future me" furrowing my brow, my face probably resembling a Jackie Chan meme.  
"Future me" must have noticed I was staring, confused at her because her eyes flicked to me, "What?"  
I shook my head trying to wrap my mind around this.  
"What?" "Future me" pressed.  
I opened my mouth to try to speak but found no words.  
"What is it?" "Future me" sounded annoyed now.  
I shook my head again closing my mouth to clear my throat.  
"Um...Uh..."  
"Future me" raised an eyebrow waiting.  
"Ok, please tell me your wearing clothes under that!" I blurted.  
"Future me" eyes widened in disbelief.  
'Whoops...' I thought my face reddening.  
"What?!" "Future me" asked flabbergasted.  
"Sorry it's just...What you look like, and then the dog, and...I just woke up." I said defeated.  
"Future me" continued to look at me with a weird look on her face a moment longer before shaking her head and sighing.  
"Ok then. To answer your question, yes I am wearing clothes underneath is." She sounded a little irritated now.  
I nodded my head zoned out a little before coming to the realization; "Wait. When did I even fall asleep and what time is it?"  
"You fainted after I introduced you and Chaz." "Future me" responded nonchalantly.  
"Huh?!" I felt shocked and still a bit zoned out.  
"Sit down." "Future me" said while starting to walk to another room.  
Without questioning I sat down on the couch, leaning into it from exhaustion.  
"Herbal or green tea?" "Future me"'s voice came from the other room to my right.  
"Huh?" I asked dazed.  
"Tea. Also with or without honey?" "Future me" poked her head out of what seemed to the dining room or kitchen.  
"Green tea and with honey please." I replied leaning back into the couch exhausted and tried to ignore the dog laying in front of me staring.  
"Future me" nodded and went back into the dining room/kitchen.  
I allowed myself to relax for the first time since I had awoken, leaning my head back on the soft cushion.  
"So. How'd you sleep?" "Future me" asked from the other room.  
All I could do was groan in response.  
"Future me" chuckled slightly. "Any dreams?"  
I shot up back into sitting position remembering the dream I had.  
"Yes. Only the worst fucking dream."  
"Oh?" "Future me" replied.  
"Yes. In it, Elliot and this sergeant dude, they were talking about some plan with some army...The sergeant dude had a list, on it were you and Skylar's names, with circles around them! He was planning on killing us!" I sputtered probably not making sense but still trying to make as much information across to her as possible.  
"Future me" didn't say anything, it was completely silent.  
"I swear it I dreamt it. The weirdest thing was though it was so real...So vivid..." I remembered how it felt to be in that room, the tension between Elliot and the sergeant, the fear of getting caught, the sick twisted knot my stomach got into when I saw the circles between our names.  
More silence.  
I waited a few moments to see if "Future me" was going to say anything but I heard nothing but more silence.  
"I know it sounds crazy but you have to admit, in this world, there's nothing but crazy to be expected of." I tried.  
"Holy shit..." "Future me" muttered sounding like she was talking more to herself then anybody.  
"What? Why holy shit? What's going on?" I asked feeling I wasn't being told something again.  
"Future me" waited a few seconds before saying it "Sergeant Michael Stubbs is part of the reason we all live in fear today."  
I felt my heart start to race and my palms go sweaty.  
"You mean...?" I started to ask but couldn't manage to get the words out.  
"Yes. That is Hell's army." "Future me" finished the sentence for me.  
The feeling of the world stopping all around me started up again and slowly and gently I leaned my body back on the couch so I wouldn't pass out again.

I glanced at the clock that rested on the wall nearest to the doorway entrance of the dining room, mentally groaning when I saw the time reading a little after 12:30 and the knowledge of getting up several hours later to prepare to go into the city.  
Why couldn't this field trip be an afternoon thing...?

"Future me" and I were sitting together on the living room couch drinking tea and exchanging questions, answers, and information about dreams.  
If it weren't under the circumstances that we were under it may have been an enjoyable experience.  
"What I don't understand is...Why am I having these weird vivid dreams? Why me?" I asked morbidly curious.  
From beside me "Future me" shrugged. "I don't know."  
"But you're supposed to know! After all you are me..." I whispered yelled, my voice hoarse.  
"Future me" chuckled, "Yeah I know. Doesn't mean I have all the answers, this is new to even me."  
I looked at her trying to search her face to see if she was kidding, Hell I was hoping she was kidding but she just looked back at me with a poker face and shrugged again. I groaned and fell back into the couch. "We are so complicated."  
This time "Future me" laughed out loud but quickly stopped herself when she realized how loud she was.  
"Stop enjoying this!" I snapped.  
"Future me" tried to stop smiling but had to cover her smirking mouth a moment later.  
I glared and stuck my tongue out feeling a wave of annoyance.  
"Future me" chuckled again and playfully shoved me, "Oh have some humor."  
I rolled my eyes and grunted annoyed, although a small part of me wanted to join in on my own amusement.  
"Future me" smirked and sat up to put her cup on the small table next to her.  
I looked in front of me at the now sleeping beast on the floor in front of us, his sandy colored tail twitching every so often.  
Wrinkling my nose still a little shaken up at our encounter and the dream I turned to "Future me" hoping to move to a lighter topic of conversation for a change and asked, "So. Besides this beast and Bailey, got any other pets?"  
"Future me" flopped back into the couch making me bounce around a little.  
"Yes. A ferret that belongs more so to Chaz then myself, and two parrots. Their mates."  
I nodded slightly. "So you own Bailey obviously, Chaz owns the ferret, and I imagine you both own each parrot, so which one of you owns him?" I nodded towards the dog.  
"Both of us. I assume you two got off to a shaky start." "Future me" chuckled.  
"You can say that again..." I grumbled remembering the wakeup call.  
"Future me" laughed slightly. "Don't worry about Goober, he's a sweet dog, he's probably just a bit over excited about you being here, he loves guests."  
"Then why was he trying to suffocate me laying all over me?" I snapped.  
"Future me" laughed even more at this. "He likes to sleep on people, it's just part of his nature. Although I'm surprised he wasn't in me and Chaz's room."  
Inside my head something clicked.  
"Wait. Does Chaz live here? And if so please don't tell me you guys are expecting a kid as well because I think that would just be to much to handle for one day." I muttered.  
"Future me" looked at me, her eyes a little bewildered. "Yes he lives here, we've been in a relationship together for the last two years."  
A wave of a surge flew through me, "Wait. When did he leave the witch?" I could hear how smug my voice was but couldn't care less.  
"Long story." "Future me" smirked and winked.  
I chuckled a bit to myself feeling satisfied.  
"So, you and Chaz thinking about kids anytime soon?" I teased.  
This time "Future me" stiffened, all smiles and laughing gone, her mouth forming into a tight line.  
I leaned over to look at her, sensing the sudden isolation. "Are you ok?"  
"Future me" didn't say anything, just slowly blinked.  
"Did I say something wrong?" A sick feeling crept into my stomach.  
"Future me" slowly shook her head eyes still closed. "No. You didn't say anything wrong." With that she got up saying nothing more, just grabbing the now empty teacups, walking towards the kitchen area.  
"So, then why would you and Chaz ever think about having kids? Someday?" I turned to face the direction she went.  
She didn't say anything though, all I heard was the clank of the teacups being put in the sink followed by the running water filling the cups.  
I cleared my throat. "Amber?" I asked.  
The water stopped and "Future me" came back into the living room, but instead of coming back to the couch, started walking towards the stairs.  
I turned my body to watch her.  
"Future me" stopped at the stairs to slowly turn to me stone faced.  
"Better get to sleep. It's late and we're waking up early. Goober shouldn't bother you anymore."  
With that she turned and started walking back up stairs.  
I just sat there still and waited.  
Waited until she got upstairs.  
Waited until I heard the footsteps to where the bedroom she and Chaz must have shared.  
Waited until I heard the door close quietly but tightly shut.  
When I knew that it was just me all alone in the living room, surrounded by the weird sculptures, the retro vintage art, the photography, and even some of the dark eerie pictures, I allowed myself to lay down on my bat to stare up at the ceiling and waited.  
I wasn't sure what exactly I was waiting for. Maybe it was sleep to come and take me, make me forget about what was going on for a little bit. Maybe it was me welcoming peace and quiet.  
Maybe it was the fact that the moment where me and "Future me" bonded was gone.  
Maybe it was because I had, without knowing it, had unlocked a dark memory or thought that "Future me" was deeply saddened by.  
Whatever it was, I pushed it aside and instead laid on the couch, staring up at the ceiling until I slowly closed my eyes letting the blackness overcome.

I dreamt a dreamless sleep for the remainder of that night.


End file.
